


The Boy We Love

by iambjo12



Category: Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:20:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23146066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iambjo12/pseuds/iambjo12
Relationships: Ruth Jamison/Idgie Threadgoode
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	The Boy We Love

Ruth had Sissy look out for Buddy Jr one night while she made to go follow Idgie. She ran into Grady along the way and explained to him just what she thought she was doing out this late at night. 

“She’s been leaving in the middle of the night and I just have to know Grady. Please, let me do this.”

“Alright Miss Ruth but she ain’t been... “ the large man sighed and looked out into the night. “She’s at the tracks.” His reply shook Ruth and she made her way past him without another word spoken. Sure enough she found the girl at the tracks, at  _ that _ spot. 

It was quiet for a long while, mostly just the slight Alabama breeze in the trees and the sound of Idgie throwing stones at the rails. 

But then…

“I’ve always known Ruth wasn’t mine. Not a day goes by that I don’t think it, feel it down to my bones. She wasn’t ever supposed to have been mine.”

There’s no one else around, no one crazy enough to be out there at the late hour except for the girl who had Ruth’s heart and Ruth herself having followed after her. Ruth knew exactly who Idgie was talking to and it was almost enough to not be able to bear hearing these sad thoughts said out loud. 

“I’m always gonna wonder what would have been had it not gone the way it had. If you…” 

Ruth watched on as the blonde shook her head slowly, looking out down the line of tracks as if she could see that train coming again. 

“I honestly think I would have wound up the same way I did anyway. You would have taken Ruth away and had the time of your life. I would have been made to stay behind, not drag ya down any. Still woulda been out running wild, doing what I do best.”

With the moon shining through Ruth could see the whiteness of teeth showing in a grin. No matter how big that grin was, it was still so, so sad. 

“I’m doing what I can for her, you have to know that, Buddy. I’m treating her the way you always taught me a lady like Ruth ought to be treated. With kindness, with all the love in my heart. It ain’t hard, not for her. But I guess you knew it wouldn’t be, huh?”

Smoothly Idgie rose from her crouched position and stood tall in the darkness and moonlight. 

“She’s not mine, never will be. But I always knew she wouldn’t be. She was always supposed to be yours and that rat bastard did his part bringing Buddy Jr into this world. But I’m here and you ain’t so I’m gonna be the man of our house, just like you woulda been. That boy is gonna have a father in me, Ruth is gonna have a husband she deserves in me. I’m gonna love them both the way you woulda until I meet up with you again, brother. I promise you that.”

Tears fell as Ruth dropped down to the earth. She clutched her hand to her chest over her heart feeling it thundering with Idgie’s words. She knew she had to get back to the shack before Idgie did but she just needed a moment before she could. 

Before then she felt she was holding Idgie back from being the woman she could have been. A wife, a mother to her own children. A woman settled down. Now she realized the only woman Idgie ever wanted to be was the one to look after her and Buddy Jr in the ways she knew her brother would have. She wanted that just as much as Idgie did and with that she got up, brushed off the knees of her trousers and rushed through the woods to head off the woman she loved.

Ruth knew she would always love Buddy and knowing Idgie knew it too was a relief. It was a conversation Ruth wanted to avoid not wanting to bring him into whatever it was that they were doing. But Idgie already had and Ruth just hadn’t known it. They both had lost him that day so long ago and neither of them had gotten over it any, but that was alright because they had each other. 

Before she left though, she looked out on the tracks, at that damn spot. She gave her own silent vow to the boy she loved to always be there for his family, to try and give back everything that they had given her. To be what Idgie needed her to be, the voice of reason, a teacher in the ways of life and love, a friend, a wife. A reason to come home every night.

They were going to be alright. They had to be, after all they had a boy to raise to be everything like his name sake. A boy they both still loved dearly and who had taught them both how to love the right way. With all of their heart. 


End file.
